Device for ground transportation of airships



Aug. 2, 1927.

1,637,789 B. SCHNITZER DEVICE FOR GROUND TRANSPORTATION/OF AIRS HIPS Filed Dec. 22. 1924 s Sheets-Sheet 1 lNviaNToR 3-. ATIORNEYU' Aug. 2 1927.

B. SCHNITZER DEVICE FOR GROUND TRANSPORTATION OF AIRSHIPS Fil ed Dec. 22, 1924 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOB 00 l'xr/yzer ATTORNEY Aug. 2 1927 B SCHNITZER DEVICE FOR GROUND TRANSPORTATION 0F AIRSHIPS s Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed Dec. 22. 1924 ATTORNEYS Patented Aug. 2; 1927.

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macaw filed December 22, 1924, Serial No. 757327, and i Germany January 7,192

My invention relates to means for facilitating the transport of gas-inflated airships while they are being handled on the ground, especially when brlnging them into or out of a hangar. I

According to my invention, a special kind of scafi'old 1s provided, which is fastened to one of the cars and to theframeWOrk of the ships body and which by' its arrangement gives opportunity for an additional number of men to take hold of the ship. This scaffold is so connected to car and ships body that it may easily be brought into position and removed again.

weight added tothe ship while in flight, which is most important. Furthermore, the device is provided with wheels by which the ship'will be supported after the device has been attached-to it. These wheels will facilitate ground transportation, especially if provided insucha way as to be capa-y ble of turning around avertical' axis which does not meet the wheels horizontal axle. thereby allowing the wheels to swing in compliance with the direction of move- I ment. For the purpose of facilitating the Th fastening of the scafiold to the ship, special provisions are taken to automatically connect both together after the scafiold has been moved in its place. This also means a saving in time which ma be very'valuable when housing a ship.

' the scafiold from the ship, which may become necessary after having brought the she out of the hangar. The lower framewor of the scaflold may also be made heavy by putting ballast on it to prevent it and the to m invention may be made use of at any suita "le art underneath the airship. 'Of

course, t eir dimensions 'have to- 'be chosen so as to' meet the conditions prevailing in every individual case.

Having given a general descrlptlon of m invention I now want to explain it 1n detail referring to the drawing in which an ex-- ample is shown embodying my invention.

'Fi 1 is a side view show ng a portion of the ower part of an airship, the forward Thus, there is no- 7 n the other hand means are provided for instantly unlocking portionof a car suspended from the airship 5,6 and the device. I j Fig. 2 represents the device, side view, buton a arger scale.

. Fig. 3 is a. front view of the device seen inthe direction of arrow A in Fi 2.

Fig. 4 -is a. top .view of the defice- Fig. 5-: is a fragmentary side view of the automatic gripping and releasin device for connection to an airship car, an Fig.6 is a tog view of the same. v

1g. 7 is a side view of the corresponding mechanism for connection to the ships hull and Fi 8 is a front view of the same.

In Fig. 1, the-lower portion of the airship is designated by the numeral 4,- and 3 is a portion of a gondola or car.- 1 The. main part of the device is its frame. 1, at one end of which two arms 2 are provided. These arms 2 have openings. at their ends which fit around horizontal bolts '5 sticking out from the car.?. At the other end of the 'frame 1 arms extend substantially vertically and are connected tocOrresponding parts or bolts? at the hull of the ship.v

ese arms may be made resilient in their longitudinal direction by providingtubes 6 slidin over rods 8 hinged to the frame 1 at 8, co ars' lO'serving to hold and press 'on springs 11. The lower arts of the tubes 6 areconnected to-each 0t er by a cross bar 12 which supports the lever arrangements 13. Ropes 14 and 15 connect theselevers to the release levers 16 and 17, respectively, situated on'arms' 2. and ,6, respectively. Figs. 5 and 6 the arm 2 has a longitudinal sl1t. In-this slit two levers 19 and16 are pivoted, swinging around bolts 20 and 16', respectively. Both are held in the positions shown'in Fig. 5 by springs 18 and 21, respectively. This position shows the bolt 5 of the car enclosed by the jaws of the mouth a at the end of arm 2, especially the shapeof lever 19 is firmly grasping around bolt' 5. Bi operating the release lever 13, (Fig. 1) w ich maybe donebypushin down. handle 10. 26 theropes 114 and 14 be tensioned, First rope 14 will turn 'lever16 so as to free arm 19' from the. projecting hook obstacle 30,'later rope 14' will turn lever 19 down'- wards and release bolt 5. I

A similar arrangement is shown in 7 and 8 for the releasing and automatic.gri'pping device which is adapted to connect at the ends of arm'6 to the. ships hull. Hereb levers-23 and 17 are held in position by and turn lever 23 so as to release bolt 7.

Handle 26 (Figs. 1, 2 and 3) causing the above mentioned nulls on ropes 14, 14', 15 and.15 must be actuated downwardly when it is intended to unlock the scaffold from the ship. Locking of the scaffold to the ship may be effected by merelypushing the. ends' of the arms 2 and 6 of the scaffold against the respective bolts 5 and 7 of the ship.

The frame 1 is provided with one or more wheels 9 situated not far from the car of the ship. This wheel is revolvable also around a vertical axle so as to be capable of running in every direction. Furthermore additional wheels 28 may be provided for the purpose of facilitating the transport of the device itself before it is attached to the airship. It may serve the same purpose to swing the arms 6 around pivot 8' into a horizontal position' Tension member 27 may be made use ofin folding down and reerecting arms 6. It will facilitate the hani dling of the device ifhorizontal handling bars 31 are provided alongside both sides of the frame, 1.

I want it understood that I do not limit myself to the example describedand shown in the drawing, as many variations will occur to person-s skilled in the art.

What I claim is:

1. A device for transporting gas-inflated airships while onthe ground comprising a frame and pressure resisting means for detachably connecting said frame both to a' car and to the framework of said airship.

2. A device for transporting gas-inflated airships while onthe ground comprising a frame, handling means' on said frame, and

pressure resisting means for detachably connecting said frame both to a car and to the framework of said airship.

" 3. A device for transporting gas-inflated airships while onthe ground comprising a frame, ballast supporting means on said.

' frame, and pressure resisting means for deneath said tachably connecting saidframe'both to a car and to the framework of said airship.

4. A device for transporting gas-inflated airships while on the ound comprising a frame, a sup orting. w eel mounted'iindersame, and pressure resisting means for detachably connecting said'frame airship.

both to a car and to the framework of said 5. A device for transporting gas-inflated airships while on the ground comprising a frame, and pressure resisting means for detachably connecting said frame to predetermined connecting members, said members said frame to predetermined connecting members, saidmeans being adapted automatically to secure said frame to said con necting members, said members being situated both on a car and on the framework of said airship.

I 7. A device for transporting gas-inflated I airships while on the ground comprising a frame, pressure resisting means for connecting, said frame to said airship, and means for releasing said frame to ether with said pressure resisting means rom connecting members, said members being situated bothon a car and on the framework of said airship.

8. A device for transporting gas-inflated airships while on the ground comprising a frame, and means for simultaneously releasing said frame from connectin members to which it is connected, said mem ers bein situated both on a car andon the framewor of said airship.-

9. A device for transporting gas-inflated airships while on the ground comprising a frame, pressure resisting means for connecting said frame to predetermined connecting members, and means for releasing said frame from said members, said members being situated both on a car and on the framework of said airship.

10. A device fortransporting gas-inflated airships while on the ground comprising a frame, means for connecting said frame to predetermined connectin members, and means for simultaneous y releasing said frame from "said members, said members being situated both on a car and on the framework of said airship.

11. A device for transporting gasinflated airships while on. the round comprising a frame, andarms exten ing from said frame,

said arms being provided with clutching elements adapted to cooperate with correcooperation with a corresponding element on a carof said airship and its upper end having a clutching element for cooperation with a corresponding element on the framework of, said ship. 13. A device for transporting gas-inflated airships. while on the ground comprising "a supporting collapsible scaffold, said scaffold at one end having a clutching element for cooperation with a corresponding element ona car of said airship and its upper end hating a clutching element for cooperation with a corres ending element on the framework of sai ship, and a wheel mounted underneath said scaffold. v

14. A device of the type describedcomprising a structure adapted for simultaneously supporting the car of a gas-inflated airship and the framework of said airship, the sup orting members of said structure being a apted to transmit pressure stresses;

and a wheel mounted underneath saidstructure.

15. A device of the type described comprising a frame; means for' transmitting stresses from the framework of a gas-inflated airship'to said frame; means for connecting said frame to a car of said airship; and a wheel mounted underneath said frame. 7 16. A device of the t pe described comprising a frame; means or elasticallytransmitting stresses from the framework of a gas-inflated airshi for connecting sai frame to a car of said airship; and a wheel mounted underneath said frame. 1 BENO SGHNITZER.

to said frame; means 

